By Brock Cooper (doddleNEWS)
My start in screenwriting was a thrown in the pool kind of situation. A story I had wrote was optioned for a movie and they wondered if I could take a crack at the screenplay. I bought a few books, did a lot of research and was off to the races.
My first few drafts … [Read more...]

By Brock Cooper (doddleNEWS)It’s not easy to get into the screenwriting business and it’s even harder to stay in. You can’t walk through Hollywood without bumping into someone that has a script to sell or wants to rip off your script and sell it for their own.There are people that tell you one … [Read more...]

By Danny F. Santos (doddleNEWS)
Every film's screenplay has a plot structure to it, which can usually be summed up in three acts. Sometimes four or five acts or eight to twelve sequences but anyone who has studied and written screenplays has come across this stuff. As a director, it's important … [Read more...]

Editor's Note: With IMAX cutting 3D showings, it seems right to re-run this article from January 2016.
By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
Ah, technology, so fleeting, with digital pushing advancements at a rapid pace. In the previous century, film lasted us for over 100 years, and although there … [Read more...]

By Brock Cooper (doddleNEWS)
I have talked about how the way a screenplay is written is rather formulaic. It’s the nature of the industry, and it’s difficult to get something made that breaks that formula, especially for a new writer. However, your plot can come from anywhere. The idea … [Read more...]

By Heath McKnight
Christopher Nolan is no stranger to shooting in large film formats such as IMAX. He made waves a decade ago when it was announced certain scenes of The Dark Knight would be shot in IMAX film with cinematographer Wally Pfister. The two went onto use IMAX and other large film … [Read more...]

By Brock Cooper (doddleNEWS)
Depending on who you ask, a screenplay can have anywhere from two to five plot points. You’d think such an easy concept would allow for a definitive number, but some consider the climax a plot point, others the midpoint, and even a few 'crazies' think the inciting … [Read more...]

By Danny F. Santos (doddleNEWS)
Film has been declared dead so many times that most people think that it's already gone. Don't let that refrain fool you, because it isn't. There are still a few major proponents for the format which include Christopher Nolan, JJ Abrams, and Quentin Tarantino. … [Read more...]

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
It seems only yesterday that filmmakers had declared film dead, ruthlessly rendered obsolete by the digital revolution. Kodak was planning a fire sale, and Fuji pulled out of motion picture film altogether. Now it's 2017, and thanks to a dedication from filmmakers … [Read more...]

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
In our article regarding Film Florida, we talked about how a perfect storm that struck the state of Florida caused filmmakers and producers to look elsewhere to film. Increased competition from other states, the crash of the housing market, and an ill-timed removal … [Read more...]

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
At the height of its film production tax incentive program, Film Florida was the third busiest state for producers to bring their film and television projects. Filmmakers flocked to Florida for the weather, the scenery, and up to 30% in tax incentives. But after … [Read more...]

By Del Harvey (doddleNEWS)
As a maker of indie feature films, I know first-hand how stressful and mentally debilitating seeking funding for your project can be. Recently I attended a Technori event here in Chicago. I was discussing tech investments with a friend who does market analysis for a … [Read more...]

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
My love for movies filmed in large formats like 70mm is because of Star Wars. Seeing Empire Strikes Back in 1980 (and Raiders of the Lost Ark the following year) in 70mm made me want to make a career out of making movies. Now we're hearing that Episode IX director … [Read more...]

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
As a filmmaker, you may be thinking, "Thank god, the digital revolution arrived because I could never afford to shoot on 16 mm or 35 mm film." Regardless of your movie's next budget, if Kodak and Kickstarter have anything to do with it, you can indeed shoot on film. … [Read more...]

By Danny F. Santos (doddleNEWS)
When I say film is dead, you can argue that I'm wrong. When a studio head says film is dead, you can say they may understand the business, but not the tools. However, when one of the best cinematographers in the world says film is dead, then perhaps it's time to … [Read more...]

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
Boy, I never thought I'd write this article. Imagine in 2016, a director of a major blockbuster film having to write down his thoughts and justify not using film? Well, that's what James Gunn did this past weekend on social media after the news broke that the … [Read more...]